New York holidays

View of the Empire State Building from the Top of the Rock

View of the Statue of Liberty & the NYC skyline

The view of Brooklyn Bride from Dumbo, Brooklyn, New York

Couple exploring Central park, New York, USA

Popular holidays

Cloud-brushing skyscrapers, iconic sights and swanky shopping streets –New York holidays are jam-packed with things to do.

The city that never sleeps

Times Square, Broadway, Wall Street – New York’s list of world-famous sights is endless. And when you throw in its world-class reputation for fashion, shopping, dining and nightlife, it’s easy to see why it remains America’s most visited city year after year.

Iconic architecture

The Big Apple’s well known for its famous skyline – the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building have both topped the ‘world’s tallest’ table in years gone by. It’s not just the cloud-nudging skyscrapers that stand out though. Icons like the Flatiron Building and the Brooklyn Bridge have been used as backdrops in Hollywood movies for decades – not to mention the Statue of Liberty.

The five boroughs

Think of New York and most people’s minds wander straight to Manhattan, but there’s plenty to see in the city’s other four boroughs, too. The Bronx is home to NY’s famous baseball team, the Yankees, while Brooklyn has reinvented itself as a hipster hub in recent years. Staten Island, meanwhile, is known for its leafy parks, and Queens takes the title of the city’s largest borough.

Green spaces aplenty

It’s not all bright lights and skyscrapers here, there are acres of green spaces to explore around the city, too. The most famous of the lot is Central Park, which sits plumb in the middle of Manhattan. Battery Park’s another top spot, where you’ll get some of the best Statue of Liberty views from the city, and across the water in Brooklyn is sleepy Prospect Park, where a weekly farmer’s market takes place.

Popular hotels in New York

Top things to see and do in New York

Beaches

Seaside city

It might not be the first place you think of for a seaside break but the Big Apple’s got some pretty impressive stretches of shoreline in its locker. Whether you fancy fairground rides and amusements or untouched stretches of sand, there are plenty of seaside spots that you can reach within an hour from the city.

The big beach

When the mercury rises, New Yorkers make a beeline for Brooklyn, and the soft sands of Coney Island. Rollercoasters, hot dogs and Ferris wheels are all part of the appeal here – not to mention the three-mile stretch of shoreline on the other side of the boardwalk.

The secret beach

Fort Tilden Beach is just a 40-minute cab ride from Manhattan, but it’s worlds away when it comes to the crowds. This relatively untouched swathe of sand stretches for three miles, and there’s very little around in the way of shops and restaurants, so make sure you pack a picnic.

Shopping

Bargain buys

You don’t need to head to the Big Apple with a big budget – Brooklyn Flea Market’s the go-to place for lovers of all things vintage, and the East Village is sprinkled with thrift shops where you can bag a bargain or two.

Mid-range buys

Macy’s has been a New York institution for well over a century, and it’s stocked with everything from toys to tablecloths. You’ll find 11 floors of shopaholic’s heaven just a five-minute stroll away from the Empire State Building.

Designer buys

Designer stores can be found all over the city but for the highest concentration of them, head to Fifth Avenue, where you’ll find the big hitters like Cartier, Gucci and Tiffany & Co, all within metres of each other.

Nightlife

Laid-back evenings

The city’s hotel bars are a great go-to for low-key nights out. Comfy armchairs, soft jazz music and classic cocktails are the norm in plenty of the more central swanky spots.

Lively evenings

For a place that’s dubbed ‘the city that never sleeps’, it’s no surprise to know that all-night clubs are easy to find here. The upmarket Meatpacking District’s where you’ll find the biggest concentration of them, but rooftop bars with first-class city views can be found all over Manhattan – some of them even come with hot tubs by the dance floor, too.

Food & drink

Pizza

It may be Italian originally, but New Yorkers have adopted it as their own since the early 20th century. Hole-in-the-wall kiosks are dotted all over the city, and dish up various varieties by the slice, so you can eat on the go. .

Bagels

Bagels have been a New York staple for decades, and there are stands sprinkled all over the city. Salmon and cream cheese is the go-to filling for many locals, but there are tonnes of different combos to choose from.

Pastrami

Pastrami sandwiches have been a mainstay on New York café menus for more than a century. Rye bread, mustard and pickles usually complement the pastrami slices, which have a distinctive peppery taste.

NY Cheesecake

The classic New York cheesecake is thick, creamy and dusted with icing sugar. If you fancy something a little more adventurous, then plenty of places have jazzed theirs up, with fresh fruit and chocolate toppings on many menus.

Manhattan

Not many places have their own cocktail named after them, but then again, not many places are like Manhattan. Rye whisky, vermouth and bitters make up this classic cocktail, which is topped off with a sweet cherry.